If you’ve ever wondered how to make breadcrumbs, we’ve got good news: it’s incredibly quick and easy! This no-stress method can be used for any variety of bread. Not only is it a great way to use up leftover bread that might be going stale, but homemade breadcrumbs are freezer-friendly! You can make a big batch once a month, then enjoy for weeks. The flavor and texture is 100x better than store-bought.
We use these breadcrumbs in all kinds of recipes, including as a binder for meatballs, as a breading for chicken or eggplant, and to top baked casseroles, like our Baked Cod. They even make a fantastic crunchy topping for your favorite easy pasta recipes!
Consider using them in any of our easy meatball recipes (we particularly love our mozzarella cheese-stuffed meatballs), or for our Chicken Parmesan or Caramelized Shallot Pasta. They also take the filling for our Stuffed Artichokes to the next level! Truly, homemade is best.
Ingredient Notes
- A loaf of bread: You can buy fresh bread specifically for making breadcrumbs or you can use leftover bread that’s either gone stale or about to go stale. We’re using a sourdough loaf, but again, you can use whichever type of bread you want! Rye bread, pumpernickel, French baguette, seeded breads — anything!
- Extra virgin olive oil: Drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil on the bread crumbs before baking to help them toast up in an oven.
We recommend a food processor or blender to finely chop the bread cubes. Beyond that, you’ll need a rimmed baking sheet and some parchment paper.
If you want to add a bit more flavor to the breadcrumbs, consider adding fresh lemon zest, dried oregano, thyme, or rosemary, garlic powder, or even fresh or dried basil. The flavor profile is versatile and completely adaptable!
How To Make Breadcrumbs At Home
First, cut bread into bite-size pieces. Place them in a food processor fitted with blade attachment, then turn the motor on and process until the bread is chopped very finely.
Pro tip: if you want very finely ground bread crumbs, remove the crust off the bread before pulsing. I tend to keep the crust on!
Once the bread is ground, transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spread it into a mostly flat, even layer, then drizzle with a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 325F for 10-15 minutes.
Use immediately or transfer the toasted bread to storage containers to use the next time you cook. They’re great added to meatloaves, meatballs, used as a salad topping (literally perfect with Caesar salads!), or mixed into pastas for a little added crunch!
FAQs
We love sourdough, but you can use whole wheat, thick slices of bread, rye, pumpernickel, French bread, seeded breads, even leftover hamburger buns! — really anything you have on hand. Just note that the flavor will change based on what type of bread you use.
Panko breadcrumbs are large and flaky, absorb less oil, and result in a crunchier breading (though they have a light and airy texture!) relative to traditional breadcrumbs. Panko is made from Japanese bread, while breadcrumbs can be made from any type of bread and are more finely ground.
Toasted breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for 3 months.
Yes! Use any gluten-free bread that you love.
Yes, but day old or a few days old will yield the best consistency with the crunchiest texture. If you use fresh bread, consider cutting it into bite-size cubes and leaving it uncovered on the counter for a few hours to help it dry out.
You can. We recommend cutting the bread into small pieces before toasting, then transferring the toasted bread to a Ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin or a meat mallet to crush the bread as finely as you can. You can also pulse the bread in a spice grinder if you have one!
Expert Tips
- For best results, use bread that has dried out a bit, but not completely hard as a rock.
- You can leave the crust on or remove it. The breadcrumbs will have a coarser texture with the crust on, and a finer texture without.
- If you want a very fine texture, you can return the breadcrumbs to the food processor after they’ve been toasted and dried out.
- Your yield will be slightly more than half of the amount of bread you begin with, if not a little less (depending on how airy the bread is).
Make-Ahead, Leftovers, & Storage
- To make-ahead: Fresh, untoasted breadcrumbs will keep in a sealed, airtight container in a fridge for up to 1 week.
- Leftovers and storage: Toasted breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for 3 months.
For Italian Breadcrumbs
To make Italian bread crumbs: season every cup of breadcrumbs with ½ tsp Kosher salt, dried Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
There’s definitely something easy about store-bought breadcrumbs, but you just can’t beat the flavor or taste when you make them fresh at home.
If you make this Homemade Breadcrumbs recipe, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! DON’T FORGET to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio !! We LOVE seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
How To Make Homemade Breadcrumbs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups stale sourdough bread or other artistan bread
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Optional seasonings: ½-1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 lemon zested, 1 tsp dried parsley, plus any other herbs or spices you like. Garlic powder and onion powder are great too!
Instructions
- Blend bread into breadcrumbs. Preheat an oven to 325F. Cut bread into cubes about 1-2” in size (or rip with your hands into small pieces), then place in a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Blend until you have very fine breadcrumbs. Use fresh, or continue to next step to dry out the breadcrumbs.
- Dry out the breadcrumbs. Place the breadcrumbs on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet, then transfer to the preheated oven. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, then toast for 10-15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are light golden brown and crispy, tossing once halfway through cook time.
- Optional: add seasonings! Add fresh lemon zest, 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, 1 tsp dried parsley, and any additional seasonings or herbs you want, then toss well to combine.
Notes
- You can leave the crust on or remove it. The breadcrumbs will have a coarser texture with the crust on, and a finer texture without.
- Fresh, untoasted breadcrumbs will keep in a sealed, airtight container in a fridge for up to 1 week.
- Toasted breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for 3 months.
- If you want a very fine texture, you can return the breadcrumbs to the food processor after they’ve been toasted and dried out.
- Your yield will be slightly more than half of the amount of bread you begin with, if not a little less (depending on how airy the bread is).
Let us know your thoughts!